The present invention relates to a bait trap for exterminating insects such as roaches and the like, and in particular to a refillable bait trap.
Traps, commonly referred to as baiters have been used in the past employing liquid bait to attract insects such as roaches and the like with what they most prefer, namely, darkness, harborage and moisture. Due to evaporation and the nature of the liquid bait, these baiters require frequent replenishing of water or liquid bait. A funnel or hole has been provided in such baiters for addition of water or liquid bait which could lead to spillage and human contact with toxins. Furthermore, such baiters are not designed to be completely hermetically sealed, since access to the bait by insects is required. This could lead to leakage of a toxic material, unwanted spillage and human contact with the toxins.
In some of the common baiter traps the deceased insects would block incoming live insects from partaking in the bait, necessitating disposal of the baiter or removal of the trapped insects from the baiter before the bait is exhausted.
Also known in the art is a baiter which adheres to a surface such as a wall and is filled with a gel-like insecticide. The gel employed overcomes the problem of leakage and avoids the speedy evaporation problems encountered with the use of liquid baits. The gel contains an attractive agent and still provides the desired moisture to attract the targeted insects. Upon exhaustion of the insecticide, the baiter must be removed from the surface to which it was adhered, often leaving a mark or a hole. The exhausted baiter would then be disposed of as ordinary waste, introducing any remnants of the insecticide in the disposed baiter as a toxin into the environment. The exhausted baiter must then be replaced by a fresh baiter which must be adhered to the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,905 to Brown overcomes the problem of replacing an entire baiter by disclosing a refillable roach trap. However, the refill is a poisonous card impregnated with roach poison. The exhausted card must be disposed of, adding to toxins in the waste. Furthermore, the card is dry and does not provide the roach with the moisture which it prefers.
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide a baiter which can be refilled without undesired messes, spillage or human contact with toxins.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a baiter which attracts insects such as roaches with what they prefer most, namely, darkness, harborage, and moisture, yet does not require frequent refilling at the rate of liquid evaporation, but rather at longer intervals such as monthly or once the bait is exhausted by insects, depending on the degree of the roach problem.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a baiter which will not deface the surface to which it is adhered due to removal each time the bait is exhausted.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an insertion hole for a refill tube which maintains the tip of the tube to be clean and free of bait residue.
It is a further object of the present invention to maintain the bait free from dust, cleaning products or other contaminants.
It is a further object of the invention to eliminate waste, in particular the disposal of toxins into ordinary waste.
These objects, together with other objects and advantages, will be apparent from the following disclosure of the present invention.